Governor speaks in Honokaa on Saturday

Video by David Corrigan, Voice of Stephanie Salazar

HILO, Hawaii – Governor Neil Abercombie officially opened his Hilo campaign headquarters on Saturday. A crowd of supporters stayed dry under a network of white tents in the parking lot of the location along Kekuanaoa Street, next to the Hilo Shopping Center. Gerald DeMello served as the MC for the rainy occasion. Senator Gil Kahele, who served as Abercrombie’s East Hawaii campaign manager in 2010, was in attendance.

The Governor also addressed the audience with a short speech.

Governor Abercrombie brought his re-election show to the Hamakua Coast on Saturday.

People packed into the Honokaa school cafeteria, and Abercrombie made the rounds, shaking hands and sampling the local products from the various booths set up around the room.

The administration was proud to showcase its two Hamakua-based cabinet-level directors: Scott Enright, the head of the state Department of Agriculture, and Dwight Takamine, the director of Labor and Industrial Relations. Takamine was also MC.

When the Governor spoke, he focused on the issues unique to the rural community.

Making the rounds with the Governor on Saturday was Lt. Governor Shan Tsutsui. Tsutsui was appointed to the position by Governor Abercrombie to fill the seat vacated by Brian Schatz, after Abercrombie appointed Schatz to the U.S. senate following the death if Dan Inouye. It was said that this is actually the first time the two have appeared together on Hawaii Island.

Tsutsui joined the governor in Honokaa as well. The campaign was also scheduled to visit Piihonua later in the day.